>> pelley: tonight, the president fires back. >> when they go after the u.n. ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target then they've got a problem with me. >> pelley: in a news conference, mr. obama confronts senators over a top appointment, proposes a way out of looming tax increases, and tells us what he thinks of his disgraced c.i.a. director. reports from bob orr, nancy cordes, and wyatt andrews. for the first time, we meet the owner of the pharmacy whose drugs are linked to the deaths of 32 patients. jim axelrod is on the case. israel finds a sworn enemy and takes a shot. it's the beginning of a major military operation. ... and doctor jon lapook with a pineither surgeon who can turn a voice like this...

into something like this. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening, for the first time the president weighed in on the scandal that ended the career of his c.i.a. director and derailed his nominee to lead nato. president obama told a news conference no classified information was compromised in the e-mail and sex scandal. he was asked about david petraeus, perhaps most distinguished army general of his generation, who quit the c.i.a. last week after an f.b.i. investigation discovered that he was having an affair. >> general petraeus had an extraordinary career. he served this country with great distinction in iraq, in afghanistan, and as head of the c.i.a. by his own assessment, he did

not meet standards that he felt were necessary as the director of the c.i.a. with respect to this personal matter that he is now dealing with, with his family, and with his wife. and it's on that basis that he tendered his resignation, and it's on that base they accepted it. >> pelley: in the same question, the president was asked about general john allen, commander of the u.s. forces in afghanistan and his nominee to lead nato. but mr. obama was silent on allen. the same f.b.i. investigation uncovered e-mails between allen and a socialite, jill kelly, who hosted functions for central command in tampa, where both petraeus and allen had worked. based on those e-mails, mr. obama placed allen's nomination to nato on hold. bob orr has our story tonight from washington. >> reporter: the career of general john allen hinges on the content of some 200 e-mails he

exchanged with jill kelly. sources say allen was confronted with some of the e-mails by the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff martin dempsey. allen's attorney late today issued a statement saying general allen intends to fully cooperate with the inspector general investigators and directed his staff to do the same. alep has told officials he's done nothing wrong and has written nothing to kelly that would preclude his nomination. officials have characterized the communications with kelly as flirtatious, saying they contain nothing of an explicit sexual nature. but one official said the e-mails, if made public, would be embarrassing. defense secretary leon panetta was asked about allen today. >> no one should leap to any conclusions here. general allen is doing an excellent job at isap in leading thoagz forces. he certainly has my continued confidence to lead our forces and to continue the fight. but his nomination has been put

on hold as a prudent measure until we determine what the facts are. and we will. >> reporter: the e-mails between alen and kelly were discovered by the f.b.i. in the course of an investigation that uncovered the affair between david petraeus and paula broadwell. a search of broadwell's computer files turned up intimate e-mails with petraeus, and also revealed she may have mishandled some classified information that she'd collect forward her book. but law enforcement officials say the investigation never uncovered a threat to national security. an f.b.i. director robert mueller, told congressional intelligence committee leaders today that was the primary reason they were not briefed on the investigation. the white house wasn't told until after the election. the president said the f.b.i. was following its own guidelines and he'd withhold judgment on the delayed notification. >> it is also possible that had we been told, then you'd be sitting here asking a question about why were you interfering in a criminal investigation?

>> reporter: no one has been charged in case with a crime but late today the army did suspend paula broadwell's security clearance. scott. >> pelley: thanks, bob. the air force said today it is pulling jill kelly's gate pass for mcgill dil air force base. she was apparently given access there to facility her meetings for central command. two u.s. senators today told the president they will not allow him to make american's u.n. ambassador his new secretary of state. susan rice is widely mentioned as the replacement for secretary hillary clinton. but republican senators john mccain and lindsey graham said they questioned statements that rice made after four americans were killed in that september attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi, libya. it is within the power of a single senator to stop a nomination, which is why the president got his back up today. >> if senator mccain and senator graham and others want to go after somebody, they

should go after me. and i'm happy to have that discussion with them. but for them to go after the u.n. ambassador who had nothing to do with benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received and to besmimp her reputation, is outrageous. when they go after the u.n. ambassador apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me. and should i choose, if i think that she would be the best person to serve america in the capacity of the state department, then i will nominate her. that's a determination i've made yet. >> pelley: this will be a donnybrook. so we asked wyatt andrews to fill us in. >> reporter: ambassador rice

ignited the controversy with her assertion five days after the benghazi assault that there was no evidence it was a terrorist attack. this was rice on cbs' "face the nation." >> we do not have information at present that leads us to conclude that this was premeditate or preplanned. >> reporter: but by that time, several intelligence reports had called it a preplanned attack and republicans complained that rice had been misleading. senators mccain and graham escalated the name call today. >> and the reason i don't trust her is because i think she knew better and if he didn't know better she shouldn't be the voice of america. >> reporter: when the president then demanded that mccain and graham come after him instead, mccain did. >> if the president thinks that we are picking on people, he really does not have any idea of how serious this issue is. >> reporter: john mccain and other senate republicans are now pushing for a watergate-style select committee to investigate

bg and the administration's response. and now, scott, the president also faces an all-ought of out battle if he nominates susan rice to replace secretary clinton. >> pelley: wyatt, thank you very much. most of the president's news conference today centered on his idea for avoiding the automatic tax increase and spending cuts that are due at the end of the year, the so-called fiscal cliff. investors weren't convinced. the dow jones industrial average slipped more than 185 points to close just under 12,600. that is a three-month low. we asked nancy cordes to fillinous on mr. obama's proposal and the republican reaction. nancy. >> reporter: well, scott, the president argued today that the simplest thing congress could do to avert the fiscal cliff would be for the republican-led house to pass a wilextending those low bush-era tax rate where's everyone in the middle class, even as he and republicans continue to debate over tax cuts for the wellie.

>> step number one that we can take in the next couple of weeks provide certainty to middle class families, 98% of families with make less than $250,000 per year, 90% of maul businesses that their taxes will not go up a single dime next year. give them that certainty right now. >> reporter: but republican house speaker john boehner has balked at that idea. it would take away most of his party's leverage in fiscal cliff negotiations. >> there are a lot of issues on the table that have to be resolved by the end of the year, and i think i've laid out a reasonable framework where both parties can work together, and i'm looking forward to going down to the white house on friday and beginning that conversation. >> reporter: bainer and other top republicans have proposed eliminating deductions and loopholes that benefit the wealthy instead raising their tax rates. >> we are not going to hurt our economy and make job creation

more difl which is exactly what that plan would do. >> reporter: today the president argued closing loopholes alone won't be enough to cut the deficit. he'll have that argument face to face with wayne or friday. one of the most frequent criticisms we've heard over the past few years from members on both sides if you haven't done enough to reach out and build relationships. are there concrete ways you plan to approach your relationships with congress in the second term? >> look, i think there's no doubt that i can always do better. and i don't exempt myself from needing to do some self-reflection, and see if i can improve our working relationship. there are going to be times where there are fights, and i think those are fights that need to be had. >> reporter: the president warned today that if the two sides don't strike a deal, it could hurt the holiday shopping season and dampen holiday hiring, scott, as people prepare for the possibility that their tax rates will go up on january 1. >> pelley: thanks, nancy. it was all across europe today that hundreds of thousands of

protesters in 23 countries let their leaders know about how they feel about severe job and budget cuts. mark phillips is in spain where the unemployment rate is now 25%. >> reporter: it can be hard to tell when countries with already-struggling economies are brought to a standstill, but that was the intention of the demonstrators, workers and the unemployeded from all walks of life, who organized a general strike in spain and elsewhere. javier encinar lost his phone company job three years ago. what are you protesting about today? >> i'm protesting everything. i mean, there's 500 people that-- without homes every day. it's amazing. >> reporter: the strike may be economic paralysis, all the more obvious. much of madrid was closed for business. there's a growing anger here that as the government tries to cut its debt by raising taxes

and cutting jobs and pensions, people have endured about as much as they can take. the suicide of a woman being evicted from her home because she couldn't pay the mortgage has added to the outrage of protesters like jose marie garcia. >> this is a new way of killing. they don't have jobs. how are they going to pay to the banks if they don't have work? >> reporter: people are becoming desperate? >> yes. there are a lot of suicide. >> reporter: but it's unclear what demonstrations like this can accomplish. economic policy isn't made here on the streets of madrid or in athens. it's made by the european union in berlin and brussels, by the people who are bank rolling the bailouts, and that's what's causing its frustration. people feel they've lost control of their own destiny. protesting and striking are the only options they have. mark phillips, cbs news, madrid.

>> pelley: israel today assassinated the commander of the hamas military wing with a precision air strike, and they had the tape to prove it. the warplane scored a direct hit on ahmed jabari's car in gaza. jabari was blamed for numerous terror attacks. israel followed up with a blistering series of airstrikes in gaza against hamas training facilities and rocket launchers. at least 10 palestinians were killed, and the offense seems likely to set off heavy fighting with gaza militants who have a large arsenal the rockets. the owner of the pharmacy linked to the deadly meningitis outbreak is hauled before congress. did climate change turn sandy into a super storm? and a spectacular sight in the night sky when the cbs evening news continues. [ male ann open enrollment is here. the time to choose your medicare coverage

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>> what was the breakdown that led to the contamination and the meningitis outbreak? >> reporter: but nearly two months after the fungal meningitis outbreak traced to his company, barry cadden had only this to say. >> on advice of counsel i respectfully decline to answer on the basis of my constitutional rights and privileges. >> reporter: cadden's refusal to testify came right after an emotional plea from joyce lovelace. >> my family is bitter. we are angry. and i just come here begging you to do something about the matter. >> reporter: eddie lovelace, her husband of 55 years, was the first to die from the fungal meningitis. >> whoever is responsible, their lack of attention to their duties cost my husband his life. >> reporter: to some on the house subcommittee, that meant the food and drug administration. the f.d.a. conducted three inspections of n.e.c.c. since

1998. the agency wrote one warning letter, but never shut the company down. congressman cliff stearns is the chairman. >> this was a complete and utter failure on the part of your agency. >> reporter: f.d.a. commissioner dr. margaret hamburg said n.e.c.c. was a compounder, a company that alters drugs to meet the special needsave specific patient. she claimed that would make the state of massachusetts responsible for oversight. >> we feel there are significant gaps in our authorities. >> reporter: that didn't sit well with both republicans and democrats who pointed to evidence that n.e.c.c. was acting as a large-scale manufacturer. >> leadership is easy if you're willing to accept it, and you are not. >> reporter: but, according to the nonpartisan congressional research service, there is a regulatory gap, and if the f.d.a. is going to oversee compounding pharmacies, scott, congress must give it more authority. >> pelley: jim, thank you. a grand jury today handed down a

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york handed down a more indictment in the country's most infamous missing child case. pablo hernandez stands accused of kidnapping and murdering etan patz, the six-year-old vanished in 1979. the search behind national and put missing children on milk cartons for the first time.

hernandez was arreste arrested y after confessing. weather forecasters from the u.s. government said today the climate change did not create hurricane sandy but may have intensified the storm. the forecasters pointed to rising sea levels, up several inches in the past 50 years; melting arctic ice which may be changing atmospheric patterns. xrecord high temperatures. warm water is fuel for hurricanes, and 2010 is on track to be the hottest year on record. of course, nature cambridge beast but it's also a beauty. overnight, cameras caught the light show known as the aurora borealis. the himmering lights danced over minnesota. they're creating by explosions on the sun that send highly charged particles into the earth's magnetic field. if you lose your voice, we know someone who can find it. that's next.

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approved! [ female announcer ] live the regular life. phillips'. [ female announcer ] live the regular life. when we got married. i had three kids. and she became the full time mother of three. it was soccer, and ballet, and cheerleading, and baseball. those years were crazy. so, as we go into this next phase, you know, a big part of it for us is that there isn't anything on the schedule. >> >> pelley: finally tonight you may not, of your voice that often because for most of us it's always there, but if it's lost, silence can seal you off from the world.

dr. jon lapook found an innovative surgeon who has repaired the voices of children and superstars and all of them are singing his praises. >> i lost my voice when i was four years old. >> reporter: this is noah skole four years ago at age nine. he was born with a healthy voice. ♪ happying about the ♪. >> reporter: but a virus caused tiny lesions to grow on his vocal chords. his mother laurie was devastated. >> i wanted a miracle. i wanted a cure. i wanted to find somebody to help me for him. and that's what brought me to dr. zeitels. >> reporter: dr. stephen zeitels is inventing new techniques in the emerging field of vocal chord trooment. >> i work with mechanical engineering, and we use high-speed photography, ca cames

that can take in 5,000 frames a second. >> reporter: what have you learned about the value of having a normal, healthy voice? >> one of the most striking things is how people take it for granted. what if it wasn't there? >> reporter: zeitels has helped icon steven tyler, and adele. last year, she suffered a vocal chord hemorrhage. his surgery allowed adele to return to the stage. roger daltrey of the who lost his voice before his 2010 super bowl performance. >> he's got my voice working again. i feel it's easier for me to sing than it was 25 years ago. >> reporter: can you sing a little something, acpale? >> my voice is huge. >> reporter: over fours year, zeitels destroyed noah skole's

lesions. he injected them way cancer drug and zapped them with a laser. noah used to sound like this... here he was in september at his bar mitzvah. >> the massachusetts general hospital. >> when i restore the voice of a competent adult professional, no matter what they do, what you're doing is restoring their lives. here it's creating a future of something that should have happened but might not have happened and now will happen. >> reporter: for noah skole, this means a future with a voice that can finally be heard. dr. jon lapook, cbs news, boston. >> pelley: and that's our voice for tonight. for all of us at cbs news all around the world, good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

this is 9news now. >> you can't expect a chicken in one-third of a second. it's impossible. >> millions of americans enjoy chicken for their dinner. a former usda inspector warns a new plan could leave you eating some of the foulest stuff you can imagine. and that juicy bird could come complete with puss, scabs and feces. >> is it safety important to everyone. >> phyllis in front of the department with a petition signed by 177,000 people. >> you can't inspect a chicken in one-third of a second. it's impossible.